How many drinks does it take to ruin your workout?

Might want to rethink that second whisky sour

We all know that drinking alcohol after a workout isn’t the smartest idea. But the question is, exactly how bad is it?

A small study conducted by researchers at the University of North Texas examined the effect of consuming alcohol after doing resistance training earlier that day. Ten men and nine women took part in the study.

The researchers discovered that in the men, but not the women, booze interfered with the mTORC1 signaling pathway, which is instrumental in muscle repair and growth. Essentially, getting drunk after doing resistance training has the capacity to obliterate your efforts in the gym earlier that same day.

“When the men drank only water, the activation of this pathway increased, which is what you’d hope to see after exercise,” says lead study author Jakob Vingren. “But after consuming alcohol, there was no increase in activation. So basically, alcohol prevented it from rising above rest.”

So, what’s the bottom line of all this? Your best bet is sticking to soda water on the actual days you undertake intense resistance training. If you want to keep your workout gains, but you absolutely have to drink that night – cap it at two drinks maximum, a glass or two of wine or beer, and you should be okay, according to the researchers.

It’s unclear why the women’s muscle recovery wasn’t hindered in the same way, but Vingren says it may have to do with testosterone – men generally producing more of this hormone than women.

“We know for sure that testosterone affects the mTORC1 pathway,” he says. “We know for sure that exercise affects the mTORC1. So it’s reasonable that testosterone may be involved somehow.” Vingren believes alcohol might mess with testosterone receptors, blocking the hormone from stimulating muscle repair via that pathway.

Alcohol and working out out can mix to an extent. You just have to be smart about it.

If you absolutely must drink after a workout, opt for these calorie-conscious tipples

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Image: Instagram

Gin and soda

Calorie count: 60-110 (150 ml)

You want a gin and tonic, but that’s 220 to 250 calories right there. A better choice to drown your mid-week blues in would be a concoction of equal parts gin and soda water, with a splash of tonic instead. Or switch to an even more slimmed-down version; gin (30 ml) and 150 ml diet soda — reducing your calorie intake to a healthy 60.

Tequila and lime juice

Calorie count: 112-115 (150 ml)

Most bars stock up on packaged margarita mixes that pack a punch but also shoot up the calorie count of this otherwise easy summer cocktail. Insist on equal parts tequila and freshly squeezed lime juice.

Image: Instagram/CharlotteHume

Classic vodka martini

Calorie count: 115-127

Stick to the classic mix of 60 ml of premium vodka and 10 ml of vermouth — shaken, not stirred. Hold the olive. It’ll only spike up your count by 30-35 more.

Image: Instagram/AlcoHub

On the rocks

Calorie count: 90-110 (60 ml)

Whisky is already known to have a low cal count compared to other favourite binge spirits like beer; and drinking it straight on the rocks slumps down the calories to as low as 90. For when your motto in life is Scotch and squats.

Image: Instagram/odinqin

Beer: Light beer and brown ale

Calorie count: 69- 75

When it comes to the calorie bomb that is beer, light (or brown ale) is the way to go. With fewer calories and carbs, light beers in the market contain about 90-100 calories (350 ml), while ale packs about 69-75 (350 ml) This will keep you around the 100 calorie range. Steer clear of high-alcohol craft beers; it’s too much for your precious macros to handle.

White wine

Calorie count: 70-120

If you’re drinking the standardised five ounces of wine, you can expect to consume around 100 to 120 calories per glass, if you don’t pour extra, that is. White wine is often a better choice if you’re watching your calorie intake as it typically contains fewer carbohydrates than red, and with fewer calories ranging from 70-100. While a standard pour of red comes packed with antioxidants and ellargic acids that delay the growth of fat cells while slowing down the developments of new ones. Who said life was easy?

Bloody Mary

Calorie count: 115-120 (250 ml)

This Sunday morning/hangover-cure favourite is a tasty low calorie choice. Traditionally served in a highball, flared pint or hurricane glass, the size of your drink dictates your calorie intake. One of the healthiest vodka cocktails around, this tomato juice-based drink comes packed with a tonne of do-gooder nutrients including lycopene (good for the prostrate), catechin (skin protective), Vitamin A, flavonoid anti-oxidants, Vitamin C and potassium.